By Lungile Siziba
SADC has called on Western countries that imposed illegal sanctions on Zimbabwe to remove them as they are providing an unfair advantage to opposition parties, especially ahead of next year’s harmonised elections.
In a statement on October 25, a day set aside by SADC to demand the removal of sanctions against Zimbabwe, DR Congo President
Félix Tshisekedi, who is also the regional bloc’s Chairperson, said all forms of sanctions on Zimbabwe must be lifted unconditionally.
He said SADC was committed to the consolidation of democracy in Southern Africa, and indeed, elsewhere in the world and wouldn’t want one country to fail to meet its democratic expectations due to sanctions.
“Zimbabwe is expected to hold regular national elections in mid-2023,” said President Tshisekedi.
“In this context, SADC appeals to those who have imposed sanctions on Zimbabwe to give space to the citizens of the country to exercise their democratic rights and not use sanctions as a covert mechanism to effect regime change.
“SADC is also committed to the spirit of multilateralism, in this regard, notes that sanctions imposed against a fellow nation in the family of humanity must be made in accordance with international law.”
President Tshisekedi said in this context SADC welcomes the Report of the Special Rapporteur on the negative impact of unilateral coercive measures on the enjoyment of human rights, Professor Alena Douhan, on her visit to Zimbabwe, which recommended the lifting unilateral sanctions in line with the principles of international law.
Prof Douhan was in Zimbabwe last year to assess the impact of sanctions on the country and noted that they had negatively impacted the economy.
Officials from the United States, which leads a number of countries that imposed sanctions on Zimbabwe since 2001, said they wanted to make the economy “scream” so that citizens would turn against the governing party, Zanu PF.
However, the plan has only succeeded in making life difficult for citizens and the Government, but large numbers of voters have maintained confidence in Zanu PF.
In fact, as more people realise that the challenges they face were caused by opposition parties, they are now increasingly voicing their concern against sanctions and declating their support for President Mnangagwa and Zanu PF.
The coming in of the Second Republic led by President Mnangagwa has also seen bold steps by the Government in harnessing local resources to develop key infrastructure and revive jobs under the mantra, “Nyika inovakwa, igotongwa nevene vayo/ Ilizwe lakhiwa, libuswa ngabanikazi balo”.
President Tshisekedi said SADC fully supports Prof Douhan’s conclusion that sanctions, including secondary sanctions, and different forms of over-compliance by foreign banks and companies, have had a significant impact on the population and the Government.
He added that as SADC, they reaffirm their “solidarity with the Government and people of the Republic of Zimbabwe, and reiterates the calls for the unconditional and immediate lifting of sanctions that were imposed on Zimbabwean individuals and institutions”.
“SADC is deeply concerned at the claim that the sanctions are of a ‘targeted nature’ and are aimed at unilaterally punishing a few individuals.
“The reality is that there is a spill-over and contagion effect on the rest of the country, in particular by imposing a blanket negative perception about Zimbabwe across the world, in particular in the sensitive global financial markets.”
As a result of sanctions, said President Tshisekedi, Zimbabwe is unable to attract much needed foreign direct investment, lines of credit, and other financial services that are essential to the socio-economic development of the country.
“This is more concerning given the need for rapid global recovery from at least two years of the socially and economically crippling Covid-19 pandemic, which has now been compounded by a general rise in inflation across the world.
“Zimbabwe, like most developing countries, is particularly vulnerable to these trends and the unilateral sanctions worsen the plight of her economy,” he said.
